MISSING TEETH: The Holes In Our Communities

Abstract

The events of hurricane Helene in September 2024 brought to the front pages an area of the country that is often forgotten despite being so close to the populated east coast. According to the Appalachian Regional Commission, there were 26.4 million people living in the region known as Appalachia in 2022.Many places in Appalachia could be described as “under-resourced.” The overall poverty rate is 14.3% compared to the US national average of 12.1%, and spikes upwards of 30% or more in areas like eastern Kentucky or Southwest Virginia (fig 1). Additionally, Appalachia experiences a specific set of problems: environmental issues related to the mining industries and an increased frequency of 100 year storms, and depopulation instead of gentrification. The shrinking coal industry can no longer provide enough jobs, disastrous floods destroy current buildings, and these diminishing resources drive younger people out who would otherwise be a resource to support an aging population. While the combination of issues could be unique to this area, they apply to many types of under-resourced communities. But this is not the whole picture: many people of Appalachia are characterized by strong connections to their land, history, and each other. Together they have laid the groundwork to retain talent, rebuild after floods, and obtain new resources. Buildings are a resource that can house people, create opportunities for social organizing, and attract visitors and revenue. By building in the community’s "missing teeth"--empty storefronts, large parking lots, streetfront gaps where floods have taken structures away–we can help reknit the town fabric and give the community a resource that can support their continuous efforts: a main street that the town can feel proud of. This thesis uses a mixed-methodology approach, including literature and statistical review, morphological study, and firsthand ethnographic research.